Oxidized Flavor in Milk. XI. Ascorbic Acid, Glutathione, and Hydrogen Peroxide as Mechanisms for the Production of Oxidized Flavor

recently proposed that changes in the flavor of milk might be produced by certain pigments, vitamins, and enzymes. The riboflavin system was mentioned as was also the oxidation of ascorbic acid with cucumber "oxidase." They found that other catalysts of ascorbic acid oxidation produce hydrogen peroxide. Thurston, Brown, and Dustman (24) reported that oxidized flavor in milk was caused by the oxidative breakdown of lecithin in milk. The term lecithin was used as inclusive for the phospholipids. Lecithin and cephalin have been shown to be easily oxidized (5). From this it would seem that the mechanism for the development of oxidized flavor in milk might be the oxidation of ascorbie acid with the production of hydrogen peroxide which then oxidizes the phospholipids, liberating the compounds which give the oxidized flavor.